Plate rack



Nov. 15, 1932. A, ORTH 1,888,141

PLATE RACK Filed Dec. 16. 1930 I N VEN TOR.

BY y

A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED sT T s PATENT OFFICEQVY ANDREW .1. 03TH, or CLEVELAND, onro, AssiGNoa-To ZOIA BANQUETIER comm,

mc or CLEVELAND, OHIO PLATE RACK Application filed December 16, 1930. Serial No. 502,810. 7

This invention relates to plate racks particularly adapted for use in storing and serving food placed in dishes or plates.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rack -of the above kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction, efficient in use, light in weight, and cheap to manufacture.

The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and claimedf In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of plate rack embodying the present inventlon.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another form of plate rack embodying the present invention. 1 I

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a plate, showing a modified form of plate-' supporting shelf or ring which may be used in lieu of the open plate-supporting rings or shelves of the rack shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fi re '3 showing a further modified form of platesupporting shelf or ring. V

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a still further modified form of platesu porting shelf or ring; and

igure 6 is an elevational view illustrating a pair of racks substantially like-that shown in Figure 1 oined in side by side relation to form a multiple plate rack unit.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the present invention contemplates the provision of a plate rack including a wire frame member 5 of generalinverted U-shape, a

vertical wire frame member 6 arranged intermediate the plane of the legs of the frame member 5 at the back of the rack and having an inwardly extending upper end portion whose free end is welded or otherwise attached as at 7 centrally of and to the upper intermediate portion of the framemember 5, and a relatively large closed wirering 8 encompassing the lower ends ofthe legs of the frame member 5 and frame member 6, as

well as attached to said ends by welding or V the like as at 9, This completes the frame.

construction of the rack, and the ring 8 is disposed horizontally so that it may rest upon a supporting surface to effectively support the rack against tilting. The u per'intermediate portion of the frame mem er 5 forms a handle by means of which therack may be carried from place to place when the device is made in single form as shown-in Figures 1 and 2. This central part may extend straight across or maybe upwardly arched as at 10. I

Arranged within the space definedby the legs of the frame member '5 and by the frame memberfi is a vertical series of spaced horizontal plate-supporting shelves or rings 11 865 which are generally circular in form and constructed'of stiff wire. The legs'of the frame member 5 and the frame member 6 have alternate outwardly bent portions 12 and inwardly bent portions 13, and the latter are contacted by and welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent portions of the shelves 11 as at 14. The lowermost shelf 11:is preferably in the form of a closedring and connected" with the base ring 8 at the front of the rack by means of a vertical brace rod 15 whose ends arerespectively welded to the adjacent portions of said lowermost shelf '11 and base ring 8. I As thehparts 5, (Sand 8 are also formed of relatively stifi' wire, it will be seen that the constructionis very rigid and durable.-

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the legs of the frame member 5 and the frame member 6 are of zig-zag forma- .tion to provide the alternate outwardly bent at intervals with inwardly directed closely folded portions to which theshelves 11 are attached.

As shown inlthe drawing, each rack is proi vided with five shelves, although'agreater or less number of shelves may obviously be employed if desired. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, all but the lowermost shelf may be in the form of an open ring so as to leave the front portion of each shelf open whereby the edges of the dishes may be readily grasped and the dishes removed without interference thereto being presented by the shelves. Obviously, the outwardly bentportions '12 provide clearance for the margins of the dishes, and at the same time assist in holding the dishes or plates on the shelves.

In cases where facilitating removal of the dishes from the shelves is not an important item, all of them may be formed in the nature of closed rings as shown at 11a: in Figure 3-. This form of closed ring shelf may of course be embodied in either the construction of Figure 1 or the construction of Figure 2. Further, such closed shelves may be provided with spaced concentric portions as shown in Figure 5S0 as to present a relatively wide bearing surface for the dishes to rest upon. In Figure 5 the shelf 11?) is shown as formed from a single piece of wire bent to form a complete ring and then havingthe-ends inturned and shaped to form an inner concentric portion 11', spaced portions of which may be'closely folded outwardly as at 16' and welded to the outer ring portion to form a very rigid construction. The double form of'shelf shown in Figure 5 may also be slightly modified as shown in Figure 4 to form an open shelf." This is done by simply leaving the outer ring member 110 with its ends spaced apart when turning said ends inwardly to form the inner concentric ring member 11.

As shown in Figure 6, a plurality of the plate racks maybe joined in side by side relation to form a multiple plate rack unit. When this is done, spaced portions ofthe adjacent legs of the frame members 5 are welded or otherwise secured together as at 17. Also, in that instance, the intermediate portions of the frame members 5 are left straight, and the ends of an upwardly arched member a are welded to the central part of the intermediate portions of the frame members 5 to form a handle by means of which the multiple plate rack unit may be conveniently carried about. While this multiple plate rack unit shown in'Figure 6 has been illusitrated as formed by uniting two of the plates racks of the form shown in Figure 1, it is obvious that a multiple plate rack unit may be likewise formed by joining two of the plate racks of the form shown in Figure 2. In either case, the resultant device is perfectly balanced and of large capacity.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and efficientform of plate rack which may be used to advantage in preparing, storing and serving salads and similar dishes. Moreover, the

ing'the plates onthe rings.

thefirst-na-med frame member and having an inwardly extending upper end portion whose free' end is rigidly attached to said firstnamed frame member centrally of the intermediate upper portion of the latter, a base ring encompassing and secured to the lower ends of said frame members, and a vertical series of spaced rings for supporting'plates in spaced superposed relation, said rings being arranged withinthespace bounded by the frame members and attached to the latter, said frame members having outwardlylbent portions to provide clearance for the margins of the plates and for assisting inhold- 2. A plate rack comprising a wire frame member. of general inverted U-shape, afurther vertical wire frame member arranged at theback of the rack intermediate'the. legs of Z inwardly extending upper end portion whose free end is rigidly attached to said first-named frame member centrally of theintermediate upper portion of the latter, a base ring' encompassing and secured to the lower ends of said frame members, a vertical series of spaced rings for supporting plates in spaced superposed relation, said rings being arranged within the space bounded by the frame members and attached to the latter," said frame members having outwardly bent portions to provide clearance for the margins of the plates and for assisting in holding the plates on therin gs, and a vertical brace rod rigidly connecting the lowermost plate supporting ring with the base ring at the front of the rack and intermediate the legs of the first-named frame member.

3. A plate rack comprising a wire frame member of general inverted U-shape, a further verticalywire frame member arranged at the back of the rack intermediate thelegs of the first-named'frame member and having an inwardly extending upper endportion whose free end is rigidly attached to said first-named framemember centrally of the intermediate upper portion of the latter, a base ring encompassing and secured to the lower ends of said frame members, a vertical series of spaced rings for supporting plates in spaced superposed relation, said rings being arranged *within the space bounded by the frame members and attached to the latter, said frame members having outwardly bent portions to provide clearance for the margins 3130 of the plates and forassisting in holding the and an outwardly arched handle connecting plates on the rings, the legs of the first-named the upper intermedlate portions of said frame frame member and the second-named frame members;

rnember being straight and having relatively short spaced inwardly projecting closely folded portions, said plate supporting rings contacting and being welded to the inner ends of said folded portions of the frame members.

4. A plate rack comprising a Wire frame member of general inverted U-shape a fur-' tical series of spaced plate-supporting rings arranged within the space bounded by the frame members and attached to the latter, each of said shelves being formed from a single piece of wire having the ends thereof turned inwardly and formed to provide spaced concentric ring members.

5. A plate rack comprising a wire frame member of general inverted Ushape, a fur ther vertical wire frame member arranged intermediate the legs of-the first-named frame member at the back of the rack and having an inwardly extending upper end portion whose free end is rigidly attached to and centrally of the intermediate upper portion of the first-named frame member, a base ring encompassing and secured to the lower ends of said frame members, and a vertical series of spaced plate-supporting rings arranged within the space bounded by the frame members and attached to the latter, each of said shelves being formed from a single piece of wire having the ends thereof turned inwardly and formed to provide spaced concentric ring members, the inner of said ring members having spaced portions projecting outwardly and attached to the outer ring portion.

6. A plate rack unit comprising a pair of plate racks, each plate rack including an inverted wire frame member of general inverted U-shape, and spaced rings arranged between and secured to the legs of said frame member for supporting plates in spaced superposed relation, said racks being arranged in contacting side by side relation and having their contacting portions secured together.

7. plate rack unit comprising a pair of plate racks, each plate rack including an inverted wire frame member of general inverted U-shaped, and spaced rings arranged between and secured to the legs of said frame member for supporting plates in spaced superposed relation, said racks being arranged in contacting side by side relation and having their contacting portions secured together, 

